Receptacle and switch assembly



30, 1955 w. E. PARISH 2,716,743

RECEPTACLE AND SWITCH ASSEMBLY Filed NOV. 15, 1951 w 1; fl E- 1- Wen/z. 2

QMJJW United States Patent RECEPTACLE AND swrrcu ASSEMBLY Willard E. Parish, Syracuse, N. 1., assignor to (:ronse- Hinds Company, Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 15, 1951, Serial No. 256,570

2 Claims. (Cl. 339-147) This invention relates to a receptacle and switch assembly. In structures, such as disclosed in Patent No. 2,174,773, issued October 3, 1939, to R. A. Blood, a switch is fixedly secured to a receptacle which is mounted in a housing for rotation. The outer end of the receptacle is provided with plug receiving contacts, and the switch is mounted upon the inner end of the receptacle. Upon insertion of the plug in the receptacle, the receptacle and plug may be rotated together with the switch, and means is provided for moving the switch into on and off positions upon such rotation.

This invention has as an object a receptacle and switch assembly of the type referred to embodying an arrangement by which the switch is rigidly secured to the receptacle, and which may be quickly and conveniently removed therefrom.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invntion, reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a receptacle and switch assembly embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a view taken on line 2-2, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the receptacle looking to the left, Figure 1, with the switch removed,

Figure 4 is a plan view of the inner end of the receptacle with the switch omitted.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 55, Figure 1.

The receptacle body is of substantially cylindrical formation having a portion of its periphery threaded, as at 11, to provide a flame tight mounting of the receptacle in a housing and at the same time, to permit rotation of the receptacle relative to the housing. The forward or outer end portion 12 of the receptacle is provided with conventional plug receiving contacts, to the inner ends of which are connected flexible leads 13, 14 and 15, in this instance, the receptacle being provided with three plug receiving contacts, and the lead 15 is connected to the grounding contact.

The inner or rear portion of the receptacle is formed with a recess through which the leads 13, 14, 15, extend from the contacts, and which is filled with a sealing compound, indicated at 17, in Figures 2 and 3. The major portion of this recess is semi-circular in cross section, and the remaining portion is rectangular in cross section, with the side walls 18 of that portion of the recess extending rearwardly from the receptacle, as at 19, and forming a pair of rearwardly extending spaced apart ledges 20, see Figures 2, 3 and 4. A plate 22 is fixedly secured to the receptacle by being mounted in the sealing compound 17, the plate having a substantial portion extending outwardly from the rear end of the receptacle. The plate is mounted in spaced relation to the ledges 20.

The switch 30 is carried by a switch supporting plate 2,716,743 Patented Aug. 30, 1955 31 having a portion 32 overlapping the outwardly extending portion of the plate 22 and being arranged between that plate and the ledges 20. The plate 22 is formed with a slot 33 extending inwardly from the outer edge thereof, and the upper face of the plate is formed with a circular counterbore 34 in registration with the inner end of the slot. The sides of the slot 33, in proximity to the outer edge of the plate 22, diverge as at 35, Figure 4.

A fastening screw 36 is threaded into the portion 32 of the switch supporting plate 31, and the shank portion of the screw is received by the slot 22 when the switch plate is moved toward the receptacle and when the screw 36 is tightened, the head 38 thereof is positioned in the counterbore 34, whereby the plates are securely clamped together and restrained against separation. The arrangement is such that the outer edge of the plate 22 abuts against the side of the switch 30, and the inner edge of the plate 31 abuts against the rear end of the receptacle. With this arrangement, there can be no pivotal movement of the switch supporting plate about the axis of the screw.

With this structural arrangement, the switch can be removed from the receptacle by simply loosening the screw 36. Preferably, the end of the screw is headed over slightly so that it can not he accidentally displaced from the plate 31. The structure is assembled by simply moving the switch toward the receptacle, with the portion 32 of the switch plate inserted between the ledges 2i) and the plate 22, and the screw 36 tightened. This arrangement has proved to be very advantageous in replacing switches in structures of the type disclosed in the Blood Patent No. 2,174,773, previously referred to.

What I claim is:

1. A receptacle and switch assembly comprising a receptacle having a plate fixedly secured thereto and extending outwardly from one end thereof, and said receptacle being formed with a ledge extending outwardly from said end in spaced parallel relation to the plate, a switch supporting plate having a portion adapted for insertion between said first plate and said ledge with the inner end edge of said switch supporting plate engaging the receptacle, and a screw carried by one plate and operable when tightened to restrain relative movement between said switch supporting plate and said first plate.

2. A receptacle and switch assembly comprising a receptacle having plug receiving contacts at its front end, a plate fixedly secured to the receptacle and extending outwardly from the rear end thereof, said receptacle being formed with a ledge extending outwardly from the rear end thereof in spaced parallel relation to said plate, a switch supporting plate having a portion thereof insertable with a sliding fit between said first plate and ledge with the outer end edge of the first plate engagint the switch and the inner end edge of the switch supporting plate engaging the receptacle, a screw carried by said portion of the switch supporting plate, said first plate having a longitudinally extending open-ended slot therein to receive the shank of said screw when said portion of the switch supporting plate is inserted between the first plate and ledge, said screw being operable when tightened to clamp said plates together.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,114,299 Severus Oct. 20, 1914 1,162,665 Tizley Nov. 30, 1915 1,443,747 Kahns Jan. 30, 1923 1,824,955 Hubbell Sept. 29, 1931 1,948,144 Tregoning Feb. 20, 1934 

